Washington Decides to Host Thousands of Refugees

The United States announced today, Monday, that it will welcome thousands of additional Afghan refugees following the escalation of violence as Washington concludes its 20-year military intervention in Afghanistan. The U.S. State Department stated, "In light of the increasing levels of violence perpetrated by the Taliban, the U.S. government is working to provide an opportunity for certain Afghans, including those who worked with the United States, to resettle as refugees in the United States." This statement coincided with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's announcement today that the rapid deterioration of the security situation in Afghanistan is due to the sudden decision by the United States to withdraw its forces. He stated that his government has a plan to control the situation within six months. Ghani, in a speech delivered to parliament, said, "The current situation resulted from the sudden decision to withdraw international forces, and the Afghan government has a security plan to control the situation within six months, and the United States supports this plan."